1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to decoy duck apparatuses, and, more particularly, to decoy duck apparatuses especially adapted for lowering and raising a tethered anchor into the water in which the decoy duck apparatus is deployed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Decoy ducks are well known in the art. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to decoy duck apparatuses which include a tethered anchor which can be lowered into the water in which the decoy duck apparatus is deployed. The following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,367,813, 5,941,008, 6,487,811, and 6,760,993.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,813, the anchor lowering and raising mechanism is housed in a bottom keel which is immersed in the water. Therefore, there is risk of the mechanism being water logged and subject to water immersion deterioration. In this respect, it would be desirable if a decoy duck apparatus were provided which contained an above-waterline mechanism for lowering and raising an anchor when the decoy duck apparatus is deployed in the water. Also, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,813, it is noted that access to the interior of the portion of the body of the decoy duck apparatus that is above the water line is from the side of the side of the decoy duck apparatus. For convenience, it would be desirable if a decoy duck apparatus were provided which allows access to the interior of the decoy duck apparatus from above the apparatus.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,008, the mechanism for lowering and raising an anchor is located below the water line. The same risk of being water logged and deteriorated exists with this patented apparatus.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,811, a keel is provided which hangs down from the bottom of the body of the decoy duck apparatus. The mechanism for raising and lowering a tethered anchor has a line reception port on the front side of the body of the decoy duck apparatus. In this respect, the line is oriented horizontally from the tether spool to the front side of the body of the decoy duck apparatus. As a result, the line has to make a ninety degree turn to hang vertically from the decoy duck apparatus. Also, with line emerging from the front of the decoy duck apparatus, there will be a tendency for the decoy duck apparatus to tilt forward. Rather than have a line paying out from a horizontal to a vertical direction from the front of the decoy duck apparatus, it would be desirable if the line that is payed out from the decoy duck apparatus proceeds entirely in a vertical direction from the bottom of the apparatus.
As with some patents described above, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,993, all of the anchor lowering and raising mechanism is located below the waterline. Moreover, all of that mechanism is attached to the keel of a conventional decoy duck apparatus for retrofitting.
Still other features would be desirable in a decoy duck apparatus. With a decoy duck apparatus wherein a line is payed out vertically from below the waterline, it would be desirable is means were provided to remove most of the surface water from a wet line when the line is reeled back into the decoy duck apparatus so as to protect the reeling out and in mechanism from water damage.
In addition, for further protecting the line reeling mechanism from water damage when a wet line is reeled in, it would be desirable if the line reeling mechanism were protected by a separate water-retention chamber located between the line reeling mechanism and the bottom of the decoy duck apparatus that is below the waterline. The separate water-retention chamber further protects the line-reeling mechanism from water damage.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use decoy duck apparatuses that have reels for line to raise and lower anchors, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a decoy duck apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) contains a mechanism for lowering and raising an anchor above the water line when the decoy duck apparatus is deployed in the water; (2) allows access to the interior of the decoy duck apparatus from above the apparatus; (3) pays out line from the decoy duck apparatus in an entirely vertical direction from the bottom of the apparatus; (4) has means to remove most of the surface water on a wet line when the line is reeled back into the decoy duck apparatus; and (5) protects the line reeling mechanism with a separate water-retention chamber located between the line reeling mechanism and the bottom of the decoy duck apparatus that is below the waterline.
The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique decoy duck apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.